Should You Buy Your Kid a 3D Printer? What to Know and Consider (2026)
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I was reluctant to get a 3D printer for my 11-year-old daughter. Perhaps I was being selfish, but, like a lot ofparents, I spent the entire Christmas season dreading the phrase “some assembly required.” I didn't know much about 3D printing beyond reading stories by tabletop gamers and Starbucks about its various uses. I do not aspire to play Warhammer or construct a coffee shop, and since I play with and assemble gadgets for work, I do not enjoy doing it recreationally.
But my 11-year-old daughter and her friends are into 3D printing. They're forever buying and trading 3D-printed critters. She got a 3D printer penlast summer and spent a few weeks playing with it. By the time she...
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